Rotary engine apparatus



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INVENTOR Jan. 4, 1966 J. s. BERNARD ROTARY ENGINE APPARATUS Filed Maron 1o, 1964 United States Patent() .3,227,145 NROIIARYENGINE APPARATUS JolinSprinfge-rfernard, 2060-E`a`st 4800 South St.,

` SaltLake City,Utah` FileilMar. 10, 196'4, Seri No. 350,801 3 Claims. .(Cl. 12S-'16) Thiszinvehtid'n'is .a continuation-impart lof my prior applicationSerial Number `129,684, which was led August 7, 2196.1, nowP-atentNumber 3,150,646. l

Thisihvention relatesto internal combustion enginesiof the `rotary. type. Specifically, these `improvements conl'ce'rn the counterbalancing of `the-.rotors in engines of this `-class 'which/employ sliding .vane :type pistons or impellers in l@their operations. i

ftlhefstructureof lmy-.prior case employs a round, sliding vaneitype rotor which `is eccentrically .mounted .in ya circular rotor' chamber Aof a `larger diameter. The sliding va'he's extend an `unequal-distance outward from this'rotor when theyiegag'e thel `:inner `peripheral surfaces of the Irotor 4eli'a'rriber and =thusi exert ran unequal force 'from l the To c'ompensate'for the` unequal.forcedistribution it .was

"-'rieeessa'ry 'to provide my .prior structure y.with asecond `-rotor1tcharn'ber. This 'second chamber is `positioned so that itseccentric mountingis diametrically opposed from 'the ecceitricfmounting of-therst chamber. The opposed lmountin'gs linsu're *that -the iu'nequal iforces exerted by the sliding rlvahes of one rotor 'areequalized .by the unequal rforc-es exertedfbythe sliding vanes Iof the `rotorin the oppo's d hamber.

"The primary'ir'nprovementof this invention is that .it

-provicles for a rotary engine a Aself compensating sliding Eva-ne typerotor which -Will maintain itself in a constant flstateof balance during all-engine operating speeds.

`A .particular arrangement for the rotary engines 'comipnen'ts isf employed to accomplish this improvement.

arrangement requires the ruse-of a balanced rotor Afrom theraxisr of the assembly. These equal forces mainr"tainthe rotor assembly-in` a constant 'stable condition.

The :manne'it through whichthe counterbalancing isob- *tained will be more fully understood by reference to `the l'accorhpanying drawing. The illustrations of the drawing areas follows:

FIGURE lillustates aside elevation of a single rotor vengine apparat-us. y t

FIGURE 2 illustrates the apparatuslrotor chamber and *the positioning of ports, chambers and components therein.

y "'F'IGURE 3 illustrates-a-suitable mechanismffortenteringia liquid-fuel into the apparatus.

`Referring-toFIGURES l and 2,l an apparatus outer fcfasing or housing 1 is sectioned and formed `so as to providejan elliptical shaped rotor chamber2fand'to encase -Vinfthis chamber' a shaft 3 and a rotor 4. The rotor 4 is `to be machined, keyed orotherwise affixed to fthe-shaft 3 ahdthe shaft lthenmounted in kbearings containedfin "thets'ides ofthe Ihousing `1, the mounting to provide a Vco'nmon yaxisfor the chamber 2, the `shaft 3 and the otorli. t t

The rotor 4 is'provided with an `even number of impeller varies 6 which areslideably contained in slotted openings "5; The openings 5 are equi'distantly spaced about the outer V4cir'.cumference ,of the rotor and arranged so as Vto VIpermitthe impeller vane`s"6"to Slide ltoward and away from thecommonaxis. `1`heilliistrated compression springs 7 ,are a suitable'rneas for maintaining the outward extremities ofthe varies 6 against the inner peripheral wall of the chaiber`2.

The diameter of the rotor.4 corresponds to the short diameter of the 'elliptical chamber v2 .thereby providing slideable contacts between the rotor 4 and the vinner .peripheral surfaces 40f thechamber 2 at points A and B.

The slideable contacts at A and B divide the chamber 2 .into twodiametrically,opposed and equal compartments C and D. The impeller vanes `6 further divide these compartmentsC and D into cavities which constantly change shape and cubic displacement as the vanes 6 pass through `them during a rotation cycle of the rotor 4.

The important and ,critical feature of this invention is that, when these cavities change 'their shape and cubic displacement in one compartment, C or`D, theymaintain `an exact `proportion with the diametrically opposed cavity in the opposite compartment.

fAnfihtake port 9 is provided in an extremity of compartment C and a check valve opening A10 is contained in the opposite extremitylofthis compartment. The'check valve opening 10 contains a suitable check valve means 11 tthrougrh which communication with an air receiver chamber 12 ishad.

. Atmospheric air is drawn into the rotor chamber cornpartment C by suction forces created behind each impeller vane 6 as .it passes through and away from the intake portSi.` This drawn ,inV atmospheric air is forced toward ythe point A bylthe nextfollowing irnpveller vane' and `the eccentric contour, existing between the rotor 4 and the lrotor chamber 2, serves to compress and`to pass the drawn 1in air from the compartment C,'through the check valve 11.and into the air receiver chamber 12.

The air receiver chamber 12 is communicated with a combustion chamber 14 through a bore '13. This arrangement allowsthecompressed air to flow from the air receiverchamber 12, through thebore 13, into the combustion chamber 14 and to be re-entered into the compartment D through the thrust tube 17.

A suitable fueling mechanism 15 (detailed in FIGURE 3) `is provided. This mechanism has an outerhousing 19 which is adapted t-o be ,press fitted into the bore 13 between the air receiver chamber 12 and the combustion chamber 14. The mechanism may be held firmly in place by cap screws 20. A needle Valve easement 21 `is suitably mounted within the housing 19 in a manner which extends a needle valve seat 26 and fuel orifices 25 to a position in close proximity with the combustion chamber check valve 27. A pressured fuel line (not illustrated) attached to the fitting 22 forces fuel into the duct 23. Thus, when the needle valve 24 is disengaged from the needle valve seat 26, fuel is forced through the fuel orifices 25 and sprayed into the area surrounding check valve 27.

The engine is started by directing an electric current through an ignition device 16 and turning the shaft Swith a starting motor or a crank. Turning the shaft 3'starts the Iflow of air through the apparatus as hereinabove described. After starting the flow of air through the apparatus, a pressure applied `to'unseatthe needle valve 24 causes fuel to enter the air stream. The sprayingV of the fuel into the air stream forms `a carburetted fuel-air mix- `ture whichis carried into the combustion chamber 14 where it is ignited by the ignition device 16.

The explosive force created by the ignition of the fuelair mixture acts to close the. check valve 27, thereby direct- ,ing the explosive force through the thrust tube 17. The

opening -of .the thrust tube 17 is aligned so as to direct the force of the explosion onto the exposed part of the reverse side of the impeller vanes 6. The explosive forces drive the impeller vane 6 away from the thrust tube 17, which, int'u'rn, causes the shaft assembly to rotate.

`The exhaust gases areexpelled from the compartment 3 D by the next following impeller vane 6 as it passes the exhaust port 18.

Ar important result of this invention is an improvement on the concept of creating 'and utilizing a vacuum force of the explosion onto the exposed part of the reverse charges which are to be drawn into the combustion ehtiirlber 14.

This concept was first advanced in my referenced prior application, Serial Number 129,684.

The vacuum force is created within the respective structures by positioning the thrust tube openings 17 a linear distance in the direction of rotation from the contact point A. The drawn in atmospheric air will be forced from the compartment C and through the check valve 11 as the impeller varies 6 pass into the Contact point A as hereinbefore explained. As the rotation continues the gases which are in the compartment D will be forced ahead of each impeller vane 6 and a vacuum force will therebl be created in the area between the point A and the thrust tube operi= ing 17.

The vacuum force is utilized in both my prior and the present structures to set up a pressure imbalancing action between the combustion chamber 14 and the air receiver chamber 12. When an impeller vane 6 passes through the opening 17 a portion of the burning gases will be drawn from the combustion chamber area below that of the air receiver chamber. Reducing the pressure allows a new charge of air and fuel to be forced into the combustion space 14 by the then greater pressure in the air receiver compartment 12.

The improvement in this concept results from the fact that there is more vacuum creating area in a shorter linear distance in an elliptical chamber than in my prior round chamber. The increased vacuum creating area of the elliptical chamber provides a more rapid vacuum build up and hence a more positive force to pull the burned gases from the combustion chamber 14.

The use of an elliptical chamber makes possible the creation of a vacuum force which is sufficient to snap open the spring type valve 27 as the impeller vane 6 passes the thrust tube opening 17. Moreover this force, being built up in a relatively. short distance (which may be measured in degrees of shaft rotation), yallows the new charge to be entered into the combustion chamber 14 in less degrees of shaft rotation and the combustion can therefore act on the reverse side of each impeller vane 6 for a greater length of time.

The ignition device 16 is required to ignite the initial fuel-air charge and subsequent charges may be ignited with the device 16 or may be ignited by the preceding charge. The engine operates with a substantially constant r force directed into the compartment D with slight pulsations being created by the hereinabove described vacuum.

Construction of the apparatus is not complex. However, precision and balance are required in its manufacture. `Care must be exercised to assure that the sidewalls of the rotor chamber 2 and the rims of the rotor 4 are machined to provide a smooth, slideable and a reasonably close lit so as to prevent compression loss. The impeller vanes 6 must be conformed to the slotted openings 5 and be balanced in size and weight. A lubrication means (not illustrated) must be provided for the bearings 8 and all other wearing surfaces.

The rotor `4 should be designed to rotate at high speeds as the power from the apparatus will depend upon kinetic energy which will be proportionate to the speed and weight of the rotor 4. Hence there is a need for precision and balance in the manufacture of the rotor 4, the slots 5, springs 7 and the vanes 6. When such precision and balance are provided and the shaft 3 is coaxially positioned in the chamber 2, the elliptical contour of the chamber 2 will automatically provide a constant counterbalance for the rotor 4 at all engine operating speeds.

It will be obvious to those familiar with this art that an apparatus can be Constructed t9 Contain a series of 75 4 rotors 4 on a common shaft 3 and that the rotor assemblies of such apparatus can be counterbalanced according to the teachings set forth in this specification:-The rights to all such modifications which fairly fall within the scope of the following claims are hereby reserved.

I claim:

1. The combination of a round rotor wheel mounted onto a shaft whereby said wheel and said shaft turn in unison on a common axis; an even number of slotted openings equidistantly spaced about and extended from the peripheral surface toward the axis of said wheel; an impeller vane slideably mounted within each such slotted opening; an elliptical shaped chamber having a minor diameter equal to the diameter of said wheel; openings through the sidewalls of said chamber, said shaft mounted in said openings in a manner whereby said wheel is coaxially positioned within and makes slideable contacts with the inner peripheral surfaces of said chamber at points corresponding with said minor diameter thereby forming two diametrically opposed and equal compartments in said Chamber; a means for extending said impeller vanes outward from the axis of said wheel and thereby holding them slideable against the inner peripheral surfaces of said chamber; an air intake port through a wall of said chamber at a point in close proximity with one said slideable contact point and an air discharge-port through a wall of said chamber at a point cooperative with the slideable contact point opposite from said first named contact point, said intake and discharge ports positioned within one of said compartments of said chamber; a thrust tube opening through a peripheral wall of said chamber a linear distance from said second named contact point and an' exhaust gas port means through-a wall of said chamber in close proximity with said first named contact point, said thrust tube opening and said exhaust gas port positioned in the compartment of said chamber opposite from said first named compartment; an air receiver chamber outward from said elliptical chamber and communicated therewith through a spring type check valve means positioned in said air discharge port; a combustion chamber outward from saidelliptical chamber having a thrust tube extension terminating lin said thrust tube opening; a bore containing a spring type check valve means in the said combustion chamber in the extremity thereof opposite from said thrust t-ube extension, said bore communicating said combustion chamber with said air receiver chamber; and a valve means for entering a liquid fuel within the said air receiver chamber; the said combination operative in a manner whereby said wheel rotates within said elliptical chamber; whereby the side surfaces of said impeller vanes and the rims of said wheel form a running seal with the sidewalls of said elliptical chamber; and whereby each extended impeller vane has a diametrically opposed impeller vane extended an equal distance from the axis of said wheel.

2. A rotary engine apparatus comprising the combination of a series of round rotor wheels of uniform diameters, said wheels mounted onto a shaft whereby said wheels and said shaft turn in unison on a common axis; an even number of slotted openings equidistantly spaced about and extended from the peripheral surface toward the axis of each such wheel; an impeller vane slideably mounted within each such slotted opening; an elliptical shaped chamber for each such wheel, said elliptical chambers uniform in size and having minor diameters equal t0 the diameters of said wheels; openings through the sidewalls of said chambers, said shaft mounted through said openings in a manner whereby each such wheel is coaxially positioned within and make slideable contacts with the inner peripheral surfaces of its respective chamber at points corresponding to the minor diameter thereof, such mounting forming two diametrically opposed and equal compartments within each such elliptical chamber; a means for extending said impeller vanes outward from the axis of said wheels and holding them slideable against the inner peripheral surfaces of said elliptical chambers;

an air intake port through a wall of each such elliptical chamber at a point in close proximity with oneyof the slideable contact points therein and an air discharge port through a wall of each such elliptical chamber at a point cooperative with the slideable contact point opposite from said rst named contact point; the intake and discharge ports for each such chamberbeing positioned within one of said` compartments of the "said chamber; a thrust -tube opening through a peripheral wall of each such elliptical chamber a linear distance from said second named contact points and an exhaust gas port means through a Wall of each such chamber in close proximity with said rst named Contact points, the thrust tube opening andexhaust gas ports for each such chamber being positioned in the compartment of said chamber opposite from said first named compartment; an air receiver chamber outward from each such elliptical chamber, said air receiver chamber communicated with its respective elliptical chamber through a spring type check valve means positioned in said `chambers air discharge port; a combustion -chamber outward from each such elliptical chamber, each` such combustion chamber having a thrust tube extension which is communicated wit-h its respective elliptical chamber through said chambers thrust tube opening; a bore containing a spring type check valve means in each such combustion chamber in theextrcrnity thereof opposite from said thrust tube extension, said bores comm-unicating each such combustion chamber with its respective air receiver chamber; and a valve means for each such receiver compartment adapted toV enter a liquid fuel therein.

3. The combination of a round rotor Wheel mounted onto a shaft whereby said Wheel yand said shaft turn in unison on a common axis; an even number of slotted openings equidistantly spaced about and extended from the peripheral surface toward the axis of said wheel; an impeller vane slideably contained within each such slotted opening; an elliptical shaped chamber having a minor diameter equal to the diameter of said Wheel; openings through the sidewalls of said elliptical chamber, said shaft mounted in said openings in a manner whereby said wheel is coaxially positioned within and makes slideable contacts with the inner peripheral surfaces of said elliptical chamber at points corresponding with said minor diameter thereby forming two diametrically opposed and equal compartments in said elliptical chamber; a means for extending said impeller varies outward from the axis of said wheel and thereby holding them slideable against the inner peripheral surfaces of said elliptical chamber; a combustion chamber outward from said elliptical chamber having a spring type check valve means in an extremity thereof; a' restricted tubular type adit communicating the said elliptical chamber with the said combustion chamber, the said adit positioned in the extremity of said combustion chamber opposite from said check valve means and entered into one of the said equal compartments of said elliptical chamber a linear distance from one of the said slideable contact points and an air receiver chamber outward from said elliptical chamber and communicated therewith through a spring type check valve means contained in a bore through a wall of said elliptical chamber in the compartment opposite from the first named compartment, said combination operative in a manner whereby the said wheel rotates within said elliptical chamber; whereby the side surfaces of said impeller vanes and the rim of said wheel form a running seal with the sidewalls of the said elliptical chamber, whereby pressurized gases are expelled through the said spring type check valve in said bore in the second named compartment as said vanes pass through said slideable contact point and into said rst named compartment; and whereby a vacuum force is created in the said linear distance between said slideable Contact point and said adit which is suticient to open the said spring type valves as said vanes are passed through said adit thereby causing air to circulate from the second named compartment into the A lirst named compartment.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 746,870 12/1903 McCahon 123-16 939,751 11/'1909 Schulz 12B-16 1,178,131 4/1916 Castro 123--16 1,207,666 ,-12/ 1916 Tompkins. 1,303,745 5/1919 Vegan 123-16 X 2,179,401 ll/1S`l39 Chkliar 123-16 2,468,451 4/-1949 Kutzner 123-16 2,927,560 3/1960 Breelle 123-13 FOREIGN PATENTS 612,784 5/1933 Germany.

SAMUEL LEVINE, Primary Examiner. A. S. ROSEN, Assistant Examiner, 

1. THE COMBINATION OF A ROUND ROTOR WHEEL MOUNTED ONTO A SHAFT WHEREBY SAID WHEEL AND SAID SHAFT TURN IN UNISON ON A COMMON AXIS; AN EVEN NUMBER OF SLOTTED OPENINGS EQUIDISTANTLY SPACED ABOUT AND EXTENDED FROM THE PERIPHERAL SURFACE TOWARD THE AXIS OF SAID WHEEL; AN IMPELLER VANE SLIDEABLY MOUNTED WITHIN EACH SUCH SLOTTED OPENING; AN ELLIPTICAL SHAPED CHAMBER HAVING A MINOR DIAMETER EQUAL TO THE DIAMETER OF SAID WHEEL; OPENINGS THROUGH THE SIDEWALLS OF SAID CHAMBER, SAID SHAFT MOUNTED IN SAID OPENINGS IN A MANNER WHEREBY SAID WHEEL IS COAXIALLY POSITIONED WITHIN AND MAKES SLIDEABLE CONTACTS WITH THE INNER PERIPHERAL SURFACES OF SAID CHAMBER AT POINTS CORRESPONDING WITH SAID MINOR DIAMETER THEREBY FORMING TWO DIAMETRICALLY OPPOSED AND EQUAL COMPARTMENTS IN SAID CHAMBER; A MEANS FOR EXTENDING SAID IMPELLER VANES TOWARD FROM THE AXIS OF SAID WHEEL AND THEREBY HOLDING THEM SLIDEABLE AGAINST THE INNER PERIPHERAL SURFACES OF SAID CHAMBER; AN AIR INTAKE PORT THROUGH A WALL OF SAID CHAMBER AT A POINT IN CLOSE PROXIMITY WITH ONE SAID SLIDEABLE CONTACT POINT AND AN AIR DISCHARGE PORT THROUGH A WALL OF SAID CHAMBER AT A POINT COOPERATIVE WITH THE SLIDEABLE CONTACT POINT OPPOSITE FROM SAID FIRST NAMED CONTACT POINT, SAID INTAKE AND DISCHARGE PORTS POSITIONED WITHIN ONE OF SAID COMPARTMENTS OF SAID CHAMBER; A THRUST TUBE OPENING THROUGH A PERIPHERAL WALL OF SAID CHAMBER A LINEAR DISTANCE FROM SAID SECOND NAMED CONTACT POINT AND AN EXHAUST GAS PORT MEANS THROUGH A WALL OF SAID CHAMBER IN CLOSE PROXIMITY WITH SAID FIRST NAMED CONTACT POINT, SAID THRUST TUBE OPENING AND SAID EXHAUST GAS PORT POSITIONED IN THE COMPARTMENT OF SAID CHAMBER OPPOSITE FROM SAID FIRST NAMED COMPARTMENT AN AIR RECEIVER CHAMBER OUTWARD FROM SAID ELLIPTICAL CHAMBER AND COMMUNICATED THEREWITH THROUGH A SPRING TYPE CHECK VALVE MEANS POSITIONED IN SAID AIR DISCHARGE PORT; A COMBUSTION CHAMBER OUTWARD FROM SAID ELLIPTICAL CHAMBER HAVING A THRUST TUBE EXTENSION TERMINATING IN SAID THRUST TUBE OPENING; A BORE CONTAINING A SPRING TYPE CHECK VALVE MEANS IN THE SAID COMBUSTION CHAMBER IN THE EXTREMITY THEREOF OPPOSITE FROM SAID THRUST TUBE EXTENSION, SAID BORE COMMUNICATING SAID COMBUSTION CHAMBER WITH SAID AIR RECEIVER CHAMBER; AND A VALVE MEANS FOR ENTERING A LIQUID FUEL WITHIN THE SAID AIR RECEIVER CHAMBER; THE SAID COMBINATION OPERATIVE IN A MANNER WHEREBY SAID WHEEL ROTATES WITHINS AID ELLIPTICAL CHAMBER; WHEREBY THE SIDE SURFACES OF SAID IMPELLER VANES AND THE RIMS OF SAID WHEEL FORM A RUNNING SEAL WITH THE SIDEWALLS OF SAID ELLIPTICAL CHAMBER; AND WHEREBY EACH EXTENDED IMPELLER VANE HAS A DIAMETRICALLY OPPOSED IMPELLER VANE EXTENDED AN EQUAL DISTANCE FROM THE AXIS OF SAID WHEEL. 